Daily Yellowstone journal., 1887-06-04
Saturday. June 4. 1857.
FREE TRADE sOPHIsrRY.

FREE TRADE sOPHIsTRY.
The Oregcnian Of May 18th gives an
address on the tariff, delivered before
the granger organization at Salem 'on
the oath by Governor Pehnoyer.
While IL pretends to treat the ques-
tion Is purely an industrial one, 1t 10
too apparent that Its object was politi-
cal and the line Of argument employed
is of the cheapest sophistical sort that
does little credit to the speaker or his
hearers. The basis OF his argument is
the following, from the figures of the
last census: THE value of all the
farm lands in the United States is
SO. l97, OO6. 776. The value Of farm
products 1928. 402, 1854. The capital
invested 10 manufactures, as given by
che same census, is 80. 100, 272, sos, and
the value OF the products $5,379,579.-
1917 And after giving this startling
array OF figures the governor exclaims
triumrhantly: There, farmers, you
have the result of the class legislation
of Congress. With more than ten bill
lions Of dollars in tested i'm agriculture,
the yearly products amount to but lit
tie more than two billions. while with
less than three billions invested in
manufactures the yearly profits
largely exceed five billions" If
these figures are correct In any such
sense as the governor would have his
auditors believe, any sensible man
would saw that II the tariff can work
such wonders, can produce such enor.
NOUS results from such small invest.
ments, 1t IL q better thing than its
most enthusiastic friends ever claimed
for II. The ten billions invested In
farms had better all be put In maui
features and the proceeds instead OF
two billions would be twenty billions.
There Is no law preventing any man
from selling his farm and investing
the proceeds In manufactures. and II II
10 true that the same capital invested
In manufactures pays three times as
much ~ when invested In farm lands,
then we are very sure there would be
more capital thus invested, for sensi.
BILE men will invest In that which will
pay the best.
But the chief fallacy of the COVER
nor's argument, ~ 1t will strike the
most careless observer. is that manu-
featuring grows Its produce in the
same way that the earth produces
its harvests; that is, that a cotton or
wooden mill grows Its fabrics rs the
farmer grows a crop Of corn or wheat.
Now the fact IL, as every child knows,
that manufacturers work mainly up.
on the raw productions Of agriculture.
The farmer grows cotton, raises
wool, etc.. and the manufacturer
buys 1t, adds skill, manual and me-
chanioal labor and furnishes q product
ready for use and consumption. To
ascertain the proper product of manu-
facture, we must Of course deduct the
cost of raw material used. What Gov.
srnor Pennoyer gives as the product
of manufacturers includes the product
of the farmer ne ii frat went into the
manufacturers hands. Such a piece
Of dense igorance or transparent mis-.
representation is hardly deserving Of
serious consideration or criticism.
But admitting that the governor was
not considering the interests of the
whole country and the advantage OF
saving the greater profit that comes
from manufactures over raising raw
material for other nations 10 manufac-
ture, and that he was only looking to
the single interest of the farmer class,
how stands his argument? Suppose
all tariffs were abolished 90 that the
farmer could buy his supplies and all
his manufactured articles abroad in
the cheapest market Of foreign pauper
labor. Of course, home manufacture
would cease and that market for the
farmers' raw material would be cut of,
the greatest and best that he has now
In addition, all those now engaged 10
manufacturing would have to 90 Il
farming. Suppose as the Necessary
result the farm products were doubled
and half or more of the market fol
nav material were cut of, what would
be the probable result to the farmer
Would be be any more prosperous and
coutented In such . condition oI
things7 Possibly for a time he might
get q few things cheaper; even Of tbi'
tfers would be no assurance, but II Il
absolutely certain that with this scan
tier income from glutted markets. be
would have the means 10 buy less Of
the cheaper articles than he had be